Combination leg and foot blank for full-fashioned stockings, and method of making the same



Dec. 23, 1941.

F. LOEFFLER Filed Nov. 20; 1959 AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME mHUWwwvM/NH M @wwwmmmw COMBINATION LEG AND FOOT BLANK FOR FULL Patented Dec. 23, 1941 f faUENITED*STATES PATE oFFICE i COMBINATION LEG. ANnrfoo'r BLANK Eon FULL.- EAsHIoNED I METHOD or `MAKING. THE SAME STOCKINGS, AND

` Ferdinand Loeffier, Weehawken,` N. J., assigner tol "Robert Reiner, Inc., Weehawken, N. J.v i

'Application November 2o, 19139, serialNo. 305,238 Y 12 claims. (o1-i.. eci-137)" Thepres'ent invention generally relates to coml `course of the high heel sectionsA of the blank and by transferring the first vcourse of the sole sections of said blank for interknitting with the inner selvedges of said heel tab fabrics, as shown and described in -co-pending application, Serial No. 110,707, filed November 13, 1936,` in the name ofFritz Lambach.

p The` topping: of. the. blank in the Amarmer de;`

scribed in the co-pending application above iden` tified has been found Idifficult to accomplish because of the relatively small size of the loops to be topped. Moreover, the difculty encountered in the proper topping operation is enhanced due to the fact that the paralleling `series of relatively small loops to be topped on the topping point sections are different in that the series` of lloops to be topped on' one topping -point sec-` tion extend in one direction longitudinally of the fabric, whereas the series yof loops tol betopped onthe other `topping point section extend in the y Opposite direction longitudinally of the fabric; The invention, therefore,` `has for one of its main objects theprovisionof a combination leg and foot blank of the type mentioned wherein the topping courses at the high heel and sole sections are madeof loops constructed to facilitate the engagement with thetopping points and simplify the topping operationen the topping point sections. i i

The transferring of the loops'of `therst course `of the sole, sections, in the heel knitting machine,

character'stated wherein the'` first course of each sole. section. is `formed of' loops constructed to permit thef easy transfer thereof without the dangerof detrimental distortion all along the line` of connection between the sole sections and heelftabs, as well as at the point of connection between said heel tabvsiand ankle loops.

Other important objects and. advantages of 4the. invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. In order that the inventionv and its modeof operation maybe readily understood` by those skilled.` in the art,'I have, in the accompanying drawing and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out a possible embodiment of the invention. y

Inthisdrawingz Figure 1r is a .diagrammaticA representation of a-combination leg andfoot blankV constructed inaccordance with the invention;

. -l `Figure 2; is an` enlarged diagrammatic representation of the. loop structure of the portion ofutheblank `shownin Figure 1 at^ the juncture of the h ighheel and. soley sections Figure 3 diagrammatically `illustrates-the fabric topped onA the two series ofneedles in straight line relationshipsubsequent to; the severing of the` invention toprovicle a stocking, blank of the 55 V Figure i` diagrammatically 4illustrates the high heel, sole, and heeltab sections ofthe stocking blank` after thefkniing `of annumber of heel courses;`

l `Fig-ure 5 isa diagrammatic representation! of a; completed; foot' and leg blank with the heel tabs knitted therein;A Figure 6- is :a diagrammatic illustrationsimiflar kto Figurev 2E showing a4 modified. form of the invention., Referringmoreparticularlyvto the` drawing, wherein like `,characters'of referencefwillj designate;` corresponding ,parts` throughout, there is -diagrammatically shown` in Figure 1 ae stocking blank l0 comprising a leg fabric IZQhaving reinforced higligheel sections I4, and a foot fabric I6 having reinforced sole;sectionsV I8, which are formedby continuous knitting` intothe combination leg and foot blank.

, :Between the legandgfoot` fabrics of the blank, as best shown in `ligure.r 2, anumber of` courses', preferably two partially non-reinforcedcourses 20; are" provided Whichserve to' form alinen of demarcationbetweenfthose portions of thelast course of the high heel` sections and the' first course of the: sole sections into which. the. heel tabsraI-'e subsequentlyto be knitted.V the knitting of the partial courses referred to, the knitting with a reinforced yarn is continued on a restricted number of needles so that a reinforced selvedge loop 22 is provided at the inner ends of the partial non-reinforced connecting courses 20 to form the heel corners X of the finished blank (Figure It will be understood that the courses may be knitted with a separate yarn so that when these connecting courses are subsequently removed (as by cutting or pulling out the yarn forming the loops), no yarn forming the body portion of the fabric will have been broken or cut.

In accordance with the invention, the last course of the reinforced high heel loops designated at 24, the rst course of the reinforced sole loops designated at 26, the partial courses of reinforced loops designated at 28 including the reinforced selvedge loops 22 and the partial nonreinforced courses 20, are loosely knitted so that )said loops are somewhat larger in size than those of theremaining portions of the combination leg Vand "foot blank fabric: IFor this reason, it will be understood that said last course of reinforced high heel loops 24 and first course of reinforced sole loops 26, and reinforcedselvedge loop 22 may be easily topped onto the series of topping points comprising a stationary point and two additionalpoint sections,v designated respectively at 32 and 34, which are arranged in parallel relationship, as shown in diagrammatic Figure 2, that is,` in substantially the same position wherein the fabric loops appear in theQcombination blank. i 's Attention is called to the fact that the loops of the first course of the sole sections are substantially larger than the loops of the last course rof the high heel sections. Because-*of this-feature, the sizev of the sinker Wale loops of the first course of the sole sections,which are to be topped on one series of topping points 34, is enlarged beyond 4.the sizeof the needle wale loops of the first course of the high heel sections which are to be topped on the seriesto toppingpoints 32.

In practice, theloops ofthe last course of the high heel sections are enlarged, but Ato a very slight extent, with respect tothe loops o-f the body fabric so that the difference in A'size is not -noticeable in the stockingv afterthe heel tabs have been knitted onto saidcourses. However, the slight increase in the size `of said last course loops is sufficient toassure their easyvengagement with the topping points. yAs to the loops-of the first course of the sole sections,they 'are increased toa substantial size,which not only provides for easy topping-operation, but alsofacilitates their subsequent transfer by operation of the heel knitting machine in effecting the interlooping, interknitting connection between -sad sole sections yand heel tabs. Thus, in actuality, the size of the loops to be transferred-is enlarged beyond the size of the -loops which are not to be transferred.

Because of the. substantial increased size of the loopsforming the first course of the sole sections, it .will be appreciated thatsaid loops may be moved laterally from-one needle onto another without materially distorting the fabric. Moreover, since the transfer of said loops burles the latter in the selvedge edge of the heel tabs, the substantial increase in size is not detrimental to the appearance of the completed stocking, the enlarged loop openings being effectively closed by the overlapping and interknitting of loops.

y Attention is called to the fact that the looseness of the loops 28' in the partial reinforced courses at the ankle is likewise not detrimental to the appearance of the finished stocking because these loops 28, being located at the heel corners X, turn with the fabric to conform to the shape of the foot. Moreover, the looseness of said loops 28 is taken up in the finished stocking by the normal natural pull of the heel, which produces the additional advantage of relieving the heel corners X of undue stresses.

In Figure 6, there has been shown a modification of the invention wherein the enlarged loops of the loosely knitted courses 24a, 26a and 28a are gradually reduced in size towards the body of the blank. The gradual reduction in the size of the loops .in said courses reduces to a minimum any danger of marked differentiation in the finished stocking between the courses of loops of normal size and the courses of loops of enlarged size.

In realizing the invention, the variation in loop sizes may be had by means of the ordinary well `known loose course control mechanism usually provided on knitting machines now in use, such loose course mechanism acting during the normal operation of the knitting machine, particularly through the pattern chain mechanism thereof, to automatically displace the needles in relation to the presser edge, thus regulating the length of the loops during the knitting of the fabric blank.

The advantages of a combination leg and foot blank constructed in accordance with the lpresent invention will clearly appear from Figures 2, 3, and 4. It will be noted from Figure 2 that the topping operation is carried out prior to the cutting or removal of the partialnon-reinforced connecting courses 20, said topping operation being facilitated due to the increase in the sizeof the topping loops, as hereinbefore stated.

By performing the topping operation prior to the cutting or removing of said connecting courses 20, all of the disengaged fabric loops are supported by the topping points to prevent any possibility of dropping of loops when the high heel sections I4 and sole sections I8 are separated. Following the topping operation, the loops forming the partial courses are preferably severed by means of knives K to permit the separation of the two topping sections, and the loops supported thereon, whereupon said sectionsfare moved outwardly so that all the topping points become spaced to register withl the quills of van ordinary transfer bar, 4which is utilized todeposit the topped loops onto the needles of a heel knitting machine, the loops of the last course of the high heel sections I4 being deposited on a set of knitting needles Nk and the loops of the'rst course of the sole sections I8 being deposited on a set of non-knitting needles NI, Aas repre'- sented in Figure 3.

In the knitting of the heel tabs 42, yarn is fed to the knitting needles N in the usual manner,I particularly as set forth in the co-pending application hereinbefore identified, so as to knit the courses 44 (Figuren of the'hei tabs 42. During the knitting of said heel tabs 42, the loops 26 of the first courses of the sole sections are lgraduallyltransferred for overlapping interknitting engagement with the heel tabs in the manner also set forth in said co-pending application, the `transfer of the loops,"however, being facilitated due to'the enlarged size of the transferred'l'oops. Y

From the foregoing description, it will be api breaking stresses.

loops adapted to have heel tab courses knitted thereunto and the other of said sections having a course` of loops; adapted to be transferred for interknitted.connection with loops of. the heel tab courses, the loops in the mentioned courses of said sections having a size larger than. the other loops thereof,` and the loops in the mentioned course of the section to be transferred having a size larger than the size ofthe loops in the mentioned course in the section to have heel tab courses knitted thereonto.

2. A flat knitted heelless combination leg fabric and foot fabric-blank comprising: adjoining knitted sections, one of said sections having a course of loops adapted to have heel tab courses knitted thereonto and the other of said sections having a course of loops adapted to be transferred for interknitted connection with loops of the heel tab courses, the loops in the mentioned courses of said sections having a size larger than the other loops thereof and gradually increasing in size from the body of the blank to the selvedges thereof, and the loops in the mentioned course of the section to be transferred having asize larger than the size of the loops in the mentioned course in the section to have heel tab courses knitted thereonto.

3. A stocking blank comprising: a knitted leg fabric, a knitted foot fabric, and-a knitted heel fabric, said leg fabric and foot fabric each having a course of loops of a size larger than the size of the other loops therein, the loops of the mentioned course of the foot fabric having a size larger than the size ofthe loops in the mentioned course of the leg fabric, and said heel fabric having loops knitted contiguously with the loops vin the mentioned course of the leg fabric and loops interknitted in overlapping relationship with the loops in the mentioned course of the foot fabric.

` ing a size larger than the size of the loops in the `mentioned course of the leg fabric, and the respective loops in each of the mentioned courses gradually increasing in size from the body of the blank towards the selvedges thereof, and said heel fabric rhaving loops contiguously knitted in overlapping` relationship with the loopsin vthe mentioned. course of the. foot fabric.V

5. The method Aof manufacturing a. knitted heelless combination leg fabric and foot. fabric blank with adjoining sections adapted to be separated so that acourse of! loops in one of Asaid l increasing in size from the body of the blank sections may have. heel tab courses knitted thereontoand a. course. of loops. in the other. of said sections may be transferred for interknitting connection With loops of such heel tab courses during the knitting thereof, comprising: knitting the loopsk in the mentioned 'courses of said sections of a size larger than the other loops therein, and the loops inthe mentioned course of the section intended to be transferred of `a size larger than the loops in the mentioned course of the section intended to have4 heel tab courses knitted thereonto. l

6. The method of manufacturing a flat knitted heelless combination leg fabric and foot fabric blank with adjoining sections adapted to be separated so that a course of loops in one of said sections may have heel tab courses knitted thereonto and a course of loops in the other of said` sections may be transferred for interknitting connection with loops of such heel. tab courses during the knitting thereof, comprising: knitting the loops in the mentioned courses of said sections of a size larger than the other loops therein with the respective loops in the mentioned course of each ofzsaid; sections gradually increasing in size from the body of the blank towards the selvedges thereof, and the loops in: the men,-` tioned course of the section intended to be transferred of a size larger than the loops in the mentioned course of the section intended to have heel tab courses knitted thereonto.

7. The method of manufacturing a knitted stocking blank comprising: so knitting a combination leg fabric and foot fabric blank as to provide each of said leg and foot fabrics with a course of loops of` a size larger than the other loops therein, and with the loops in the mentioned course of the foot fabric of a size larger than the size of the loops in the mentioned course of the leg fabric; knitting heel tab courses as a continuation of the loops in the mentioned course of the leg fabric; and, during the knitting of such heel tab courses, transferring the loops in the mentioned course of the foot fabric for interknitting connection with said heel tab courses.

8. The method of manufacturing a vflat knitted stocking blank comprising: so knitting a combination leg fabric and foot fabric blank as to provide each of said leg and foot fabrics with a course of loops of a size larger than the other loops therein, the respective loops in the mentioned course of each of said fabrics gradually towards the selvedges thereof, and with the loops in the mentioned course of the foot fabric of a size larger than the size of the loops in the mentioned course of the leg fabric; knitting heel tab courses as a continuation of the loops in the mentioned course of the leg fabric; and, during the knitting of such heelv tab courses, transferring the loops in the mentioned course of the foot fabric for interknitting connection with said heel tab courses.

9. In the method of manufacturing a knitted heelless combination leg fabric and foot fabric blank provided With adjoining sections each having a course of loops intended toy be topped for engagement with needles of 'at knitting machine so that the loops in the mentioned course of one of said sections may have heel tab courses knitted thereonto, and the loops in the mentioned course of the other of said sections may be transferred laterally on the needles for overlapping engagement and interknitted connecttion with loops of such heel tab courses: the step of enlarging the loops in the mentioned courses of said sections beyond the size of the remaining loops therein whereby to facilitate the topping of said loops and enlarging the loops of that course to be topped and transferred beyond the size of the loops of the other course to be topped and to have heel tab courses knitted thereonto, whereby to prevent distortion due to such transfer.

10. The method of knitting a stocking which comprises: knitting leg sections and foot section of a stocking blank with series of loops inthe leg sections and series of loops in the foot sections enlarged beyond normal size and the loops in said series in the foot sections enlarged beyond the size of the loops of said series in the leg sections; separately supporting said series of loops; knitting heel tab courses into said series of loops in the leg sections and, during the knitting of the following heel tab courses, successively knitting the loops of said series in the foot sections into the inner selvages of the heel tab courses;

11. The method of knitting a stocking which comprises: knitting leg sections and foot sections of a stocking blank as a continuous unitary fabric with Series of loops in the last course of the leg sections and series of loops in the first course of the fo'ot sections enlarged beyond normal size and the loops of the series in the mentioned course of the foot sections enlarged beyond the size of the loops of the series in the mentioned course of the leg sections; separately supporting said series of loops; knitting heel tab courses into said series of loops in the leg sections and, during the knitting of the following heel tab courses, successively knitting the loops of said series in the foot sections into the inner selvedges of the heel tab courses.

12. The method of knitting a stocking which comprises: knitting leg sections and foot sections of a stocking blank as a continuous unitary fabric with series of loops in the last course of the leg sections and series of loops in the rst course of the foot sections enlarged beyond normal size, the respective loops in the series in the mentioned course of each of said sections gradually increasing in size from the body of the stocking blank towards the selvedges thereof, and the loops of the series in the mentioned course of the foot section enlarged beyond the size of the loops of the series in the mentioned course of the leg sections; separately supporting said series of loops; knitting heel tab courses into said series of loops in the leg sections and, during the knitting of the following heel tab courses, successively knitting the loops of said series in the'foot sections into the inner selvedges of the heel tab courses.

FERDINAND LOEFFLER. 

